Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, known as an enigma with the bat in his hand, is both feared by bowlers and admired by cricket fans worldwide. He has left a mark on every part of the cricket ground with his exceptional batting skills, earning nicknames such as ‘Mr.360’ and ‘Superman’.
Having accumulated over 20,000 international runs and a plethora of awards, de Villiers is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever played cricket. Although he is not currently involved in international cricket, it is worth reflecting on his illustrious career for South Africa by highlighting 5 of his exceptional performances across different formats that cemented his status as a true legend of the game.
106*(186 balls) vs Australia, Perth 2008
South Africa faced a daunting fourth-innings target of 414 runs against Australia in Perth, but AB de Villiers’ unbeaten 106, including 9 boundaries, helped them achieve a remarkable six-wicket victory, the second-highest successful chase in test cricket history. Graeme Smith led the team in the arduous task, and de Villiers showed incredible determination and self-restraint throughout the match.
278* (418 balls) vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi 2010
De Villiers’ exceptional double century in Abu Dhabi during a 2010 test against Pakistan is a noteworthy achievement, coming in after the team was 33/3, he formed a 179-run partnership with Jacques Kallis and continued to play positively, scoring 278 not out with 23 fours and 6 sixes.
162* (66 balls) vs West Indies, Sydney 2015
In the 2015 World Cup ODI match against the West Indies, held in Sydney, De Villiers set a new record for the fastest 150 in ODI cricket, achieving this milestone off a mere 64 balls.
During the 30th over, with South Africa at 146/3, De Villiers walked in to bat with an aggressive mindset and reached his fifty in just 30 deliveries. He shifted gears smoothly and reached his century in the following 22 balls, then took just 12 more balls to score his third fifty. He remained unbeaten on 162 off just 66 balls as South Africa piled up an imposing total of 408-5.
33* (220) vs Australia, Adelaide 2010
While most of the knocks on the list are centuries, a score of only 33* may come as a surprise to many. AB de Villiers’ score of 33 off 220 balls against Australia in Adelaide is unquestionably one of his finest performances, as the right-handed batsman batted with incredible patience and determination to rescue his team from certain defeat.
Facing an improbable fourth-innings target of 430 runs by Australia, South Africa began the final day at 77/4 and batted through the entire day to reach 248/8 by stumps, securing an exciting draw, which ultimately helped South Africa avoid defeat and keep the three-test series alive. De Villiers put aside his natural attacking instincts and played an unbeaten, slow knock of 33, spending more than four hours at the crease.
149 (44 balls) vs West Indies, Johannesburg 2015
Starting the game with the South African openers setting the stage, the score had already reached 247 for one in the 39th over by the time AB de Villiers came in to bat. Achieving a century when there are less than 11 overs remaining is nearly impossible for any cricketer in the world, unless, of course, you are AB de Villiers.
Right from the beginning, de Villiers hit every ball thrown his way with ferocity, employing his signature moves of knee-bending, scooping, lofting, and smashing the ball.
He surpassed the previous record set by Corey Anderson and scored the fastest ODI century ever made in just 31 balls, leaving the cricketing world in awe of his magical performance.